Far From Eden
by ObliviousTrace
Summary: A man dies, children grow up, and suddenly, no one knows anything anymore.


A/N: Hi everyone. Just before we begin, a little context. This was written for the 2006 Dramione Valentine's Day fic exchange. You can find this one and several absolutely incredible fics on the account we set up, The Dramione Fic Exchange. Go check it out. All of the fics are worth reading. In fact, most of them are worthy of worship.

Have fun!

* * *

Far From Eden

_All men by nature desire knowledge._ Aristotle

It's fall again, and no one knows where they've gone.

Everyone knows _why_ they've gone, or at least they think they do. Avenge a death and kill a madman and save the world, it's what the three of them have been destined to do ever since they first set foot in this school. Maybe ever since they were born.

Ginny's the only one who knows the whole truth, of course. She knows about the Horcruxes and the locket and Godric's Hollow and she knows why Harry can't take her along. She knows this is his destiny and that he was fated to do it.

She also knows that it also could have been, almost _was_ Neville, and she thinks that's why she starts noticing him more at the dinner table and in hallways. If she ignores the fact that this is Neville, sad, bumbling Neville, Neville who asked her to the Yule Ball in her third year, if she ignores all that she can look past and see the boy who could have become what Harry Potter is.

So she kisses him first and fucks him later and never cries because of it. She practices apparition and waits for the day she can suddenly appear at Harry's side. And then she wonders if she really wants to and if she cares and if he cares and then she's back in Neville's arms and she shakes and trembles but still does not cry.

Ginny can't look Luna in the eye anymore, but it doesn't seem to matter. Luna's rarely around these days. She keeps popping up in odd places at odd times, and no one can keep track of her. Gaping holes appear in the student body as parents pull their children out, some leave, and others even are killed.

One day, over breakfast, as she swallows a bite of oatmeal and holds Neville hand under the table, she looks up and remembers that Malfoy is gone as well.

Ginny blinks and keeps eating.

* * *

"I don't know whether to hit you or kiss you!"

"Why not both?"

"Masochist."

"Did you ever doubt it?"

_Pause. Silence. Whispers in the dark and crunching leaves as one of them shifts._

"They can't catch us, you know."

"Why not?"

"He'll kill you."

"I might kill him."

_It's blessedly dark, so she doesn't see the hurt look on his face when she laughs._

"Don't you think it's a little strange that our paths are so parallel?"

"Hardly. You're following us."

"We want what you're hunting."

"You do realize that part of what we're hunting is you."

_Snicker in the dim light._

"I think I'll marry you one day."

"I think we'll probably both die first."

"Can I kiss you?"

"Why do you bother asking?"

_Shadows melting together, until distant murmurs and firelight make them pull apart._

"This makes no sense. We make no sense."

"I need to go."

"So do I. Tomorrow?"

"London. I'd tell you where, but it's not my secret to reveal."

"Then Hyde Park? 2 am."

"I'll try. It's hard to slip away."

"Don't try. Promise."

_Sigh._

"Alright. You're too needy."

_A smile and the other feels it against their lips._

"I'll see you then."

* * *

Luna keeps popping up in odd places at odd times. She must have passed her apparition test. Either that or she's just naturally good at it.

Ron doesn't know why she does it or where she goes to do it. "You can't apparate or disapparate in Hogwarts," says Hermione's litany in his head. She first appears when he's washing dishes in a stream next to their camp. She's suddenly in front of him and he shrieks and falls in the water. Luna smiles dreamily and helps him out and to his feet. He considers asking her why she's here, but somehow decides against it.

Harry and Hermione never see her, which makes Ron wonder if this is all in his head, if he is so stressed and scared and worried that he has begun hallucinating.

He doesn't know if this is true. But he knows that Harry barely talks anymore and Hermione hasn't mentioned anything to him about what they never said at the funeral. He knows that she leaves at night and he has no idea where. He knows that she's drifting and he can't do anything to stop it.

Ron's never been able to bring himself to tell her he loves her.

So he grabs Luna and she melts into him and later, when they're both lying on the ground, sweaty and exhausted, he almost convinces himself that he doesn't care.

And then he knows that he's wrong.

* * *

"I told you that you could make it."

"I'm really pushing my luck here. I think they might know."

"That you're with me?"

"No, that I'm gone. They have no idea about you."

"I'm disappointed, actually. I would love them to know that I'm the one who got you in the end."

"Got me? _Got me?_ So I'm a possession now, am I?"

"Well, the two of them have been vying for years, I'm not the one coming up with this!"

"Vying! What the hell do you think…wait a minute. You're jealous of them, aren't you?"

_A mumble, a teasing laugh from her, and he turns away._

"You're jealous! I can't believe it!"

"Okay, fine! I'm jealous, I admit it. Now the question is, after making me this way, are you willing to deal with the consequences?"

"Consequences?"

_The next words suddenly muffled and knees go slack._

"Oh."

_Exhalation and inhalation, she clings to him in order to stand._

"I actually don't mind those consequences."

"You're mine. And no one and _nothing _is going to come between us."

_Blink._

"We'll probably both die, you know."

"Well, eventually."

"No. Soon."

_His grip tightens._

"Would you kill me, if you had too? If we were on a battle field and we were on opposite sides?"

"That's not fair."

"Why not?"

"First of all, everyone's trying to kill you. It's not like I'd be the only one. You don't have a side anymore."

_Silence. Step back. She reaches and he moves._

"Don't."

"Please, I didn't mean…"

_Pause. The air tightens._

"Tomorrow?"

_She lets out the breath she didn't know she was holding._

"Still here. Same time?"

"If you can make it."

"I'll make it."

"Time to go."

"I know."

* * *

Neville's eyes aren't green, not in the slightest. They're a clear, watery blue, and Ginny can't look into them when he's moving on top of her or beneath her and anywhere near her.

She's waiting for something, she just has no idea what. It's not for the final battle, or an attack, or even Harry returning, victorious and triumphant. She waits for a sign that somehow, the world will be alright.

She pushes Neville against a wall and grabs his collar, bringing his face down to her. He closes his eyes when he kisses, which she is glad for. With Harry, she always found herself partly wishing that he would keep his eyes open, just so she wouldn't spend another second away from their green brilliance.

She's forgetting their color now. She hasn't said his name in three weeks. She tries, alone in her room, but her mouth tastes too sour.

Ginny twirls in her hoop and doesn't reappear anywhere else. She lets out a strangled sound because suddenly, the non-existent tears threaten again.

Never has Ginny felt more trapped.

* * *

_Waiting. Waiting. The wind is cold and it's getting lighter and lighter._

_He hates the pink in the sky and leaves.

* * *

_

Somewhere along the line, it's all gone wrong.

Ron sits on one side and Hermione on the other, both completely focused on the person between them, all wrapped in blankets and shivering and bleeding.

One out of four is gone. Three remain. The fake locket is still clutched in one trembling hand.

Ron curses Regulus A. Black, Voldemort, and himself silently, repeatedly. Fools and bastards, the lot of them, he thinks.

One is gone and only three remain but Hermione doesn't look at him as often anymore and Harry rarely talks. Luna shows up occasionally and he sleeps with her and hates himself afterwards.

They fall asleep on the couch. Hours pass until they wake up in the bright sunshine. Harry grumbles and Hermione gasps, eyes filling with tears, and runs upstairs.

Ron watches her go and doesn't know why this hurts so much.

* * *

"Oh God, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry."

"I waited all night."

"I know, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

_He wanted to be firm, but his feet carry him over and he's stroking and kissing her hair._

"It's alright. It's alright."

"I meant to come. I wanted to. But…something came up."

_Tense._

"You…?"

"The first one. It's gone now."

"How…are you…where…?"

_Shake of the head._

"I'm fine, we're all fine, it's over, it's done."

_He waits._

"We're leaving London."

"Where to?"

"Wales. There was a place there, along the sea."

"I'll try to go."

"Doesn't he ever wonder why you choose the destination? Doesn't he ever ask?"

_Shrug._

"He got me out of there. He seems willing to let me choose where we go next, as long as we're never in one place at the same time."

_Pause. She bites her lip._

"I should have told Harry when I found you. I should have never hesitated."

"But you did."

"But I did."

* * *

She passes her test and suddenly she doesn't know what to do next. Her entire being has been so fixed on this one goal that now that she's reached it, she doesn't know where to go from here.

Ginny trudges up the stairs, dully repeats the password, and climbs through the portrait hole. She sits down across from Neville, and shows him her new license.

He nods and looks at it for a long time. Finally he speaks.

"I heard that someone saw them in Wales. Near the coast."

Her heart breaks a little then, because he's not saying anything else, not expecting or asking anything from her, just looking and giving.

"I'm sorry."

Neville laughs a little then.

"No. You're not. And you shouldn't be."

He gets up, kisses her cheek, and leaves. Ginny clutches her license and looks at the staircase where he just exited.

Wales.

* * *

"You made it."

"I told you he wouldn't care."

_Silence as they consume each other._

"I almost couldn't come tonight."

_He waits for elaboration._

"Ron stopped me. He caught me leaving the tent."

"What did he say?"

"Just that he didn't know where I was going, but that he didn't want me to go."

"And you came anyway?"

_She holds herself tightly together._

"I used to love him."

"I know."

"He still loves me."

"I know."

_Breath._

"I love you."

_His face is blank._

"I know."

_She waits but does not press. Finally, she gives up._

"Tomorrow, then?"

"Yes. Where?"

"Still here. We might be here for a while."

"Okay."

"Good then."

"Yes."

_She shifts._

"I should go. I promised Ron I wouldn't be long."

"Alright."

"I just…I just don't want to hurt him more than necessary."

"Alright."

"I'm leaving now."

"Alright."

_She turns and he watches and he breathes and it comes out._

"I love you too."

_Slight turn and small smile and the air is so much lighter.

* * *

_

Ron sits and waits and plays with some pebbles on the beach.

Someone else, he thinks. Someone else who is consistent and who follows them and who she wants enough to leave him and Harry.

He skips a stone. It only goes three times before sinking.

Three. Three like the number of times they have to nearly kill themselves, three like the number that's pushing them on, three like the trio they should be.

But Hermione sneaks off and Harry barely talks and Luna is around more and more.

Ron starts throwing pebbles now, viciously, hurling them at the water as hard and as fast as he can.

He sinks down to his knees, exhausted, and cradles his head in his hands as sobs rack his body. He hacks and heaves and screams inarticulate sounds at the sea.

* * *

"He tried to stop me again."

"He's still trying?"

"He was waiting. I thought he was asleep. He just stared at me and started pleading. It was horrible."

"But you still came."

_Sigh._

"I still did."

"Are you staying here tomorrow?"

"Yes. We have a lead."

"I might have to go."

_Freeze. Attempt normal breathing._

"Why?"

"We've been stationary too long. He's starting to get worried."

"Oh."

"I'll catch up to you again, I promise."

"Oh."

"It won't be long."

"It's alright."

_He grabs her face in his hands._

"Look. _I promise_. I will find you again."

_She stares. He kisses.

* * *

_

She's been searching for days, questioning, trying any spell she can think of. Now Ginny stands on the beach and stares at the small tent in the distance.

It's here. They're here. He's here.

Her feet can't move.

Her mouth is dry and she swallows convulsively before slowly, slowly, walking forward.

* * *

_He wraps his cloak around him and follows his mentor away from the seacoast. _

_They don't speak.

* * *

_

He's fallen asleep on the beach and a slight sound wakes him. Ron leans on his elbow and turns, bleary eyed, to see a shadow walking out of the sun towards him. He expects Luna. He sees Ginny.

Ron scrambles to his feet as his little sister approaches him.

"What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing here!" He shouts when she's drawn near enough.

Hermione hears his shout and runs from farther down the beach where she's been practicing spells.

"Ron, what are you…" She trails off when she sees Ginny. "No." She shakes her head. "No, Ginny, you can't be here."

Ginny doesn't smile. "I am here, and you can't make me leave. I'll just follow you. If you slip off, I'll find you again."

Hermione flinches.

Ron stares at the redheaded girl in amazement. "Blimey," he finally manages. "What will Harry say?"

"That we all should probably get some rest."

The three of them jump and turn. Harry gazes at them steadily. His eyes flicker over Ginny.

"We're leaving tonight. You might want to sleep now."

Hermione and Ron look at each other, worried creases forming on their brow. Ginny looks like she's been struck.

"Harry…" she whispers.

He looks at her. She looks back. The sea crashes on the surf and Ron's foot slides slightly on the pebble beach.

"You too, Ginny. We don't travel slowly."

She nods and swallows. Hermione turns to him.

"Harry, why? I thought that we…I mean…what about the…"

Cool emerald eyes regard her.

"I think I've picked up Snape and Malfoy's trail. We're following them."

The silence is heavy. Ron opens his mouth and closes it again.

"But…but Harry," he finally manages. "We came here for a Horcrux."

Harry crooks an eyebrow. "Did we?" His eyes flicker briefly to Hermione. She blushes slightly. "The two have them have been near us the entire journey. They've been following us. This time, we're going to follow them. I suggest you all rest. We leave when it gets dark." He walks away and they watch him go.

Tears start streaming down Ginny's face and she flees into the tent.

Ron and Hermione look at each other. The beach is suddenly small.

"Did you…" He stops. He swallows. "You knew, didn't you?"

She nods.

Ron turns away and runs his fingers through his sweaty hair. He can't look at her anymore. "They've been following us the entire time?"

Hermione makes a small noise in the back of her throat.

"Yes."

"And you…?"

She closes her eyes against the tears welling in them.

"Yes."

Ron turns back and looks at her. He and she know that he cares.

"You'll find him again," he finally says.

"Thank you," Hermione whispers.

Ron walks away after Harry. His shoulders are shaking and Hermione watches until his figure blurs and disappears.


End file.
